98. Chapter 98

Chapter 98

"Thanks for the hand holding on the way home," Castle said softly when they were back at the loft. Right after they arrived, they had managed to slip their sleeping baby boy into bed without waking him, and they were in the kitchen having a small glass of wine before they also retired for the night. "You laughed at my little outburst about daughters, but the hand holding told me you understood."

"It was kind of funny, but I know you, and I could see that it was getting to you. Did it suddenly get real when we started talking about actual plans?"

"Yeah. You do know me."

Kate took her husband's glass and put it down on the counter along with hers. "Come here," she said, putting her arms around his neck and pulling his head to her shoulder as she kissed the side of his neck.

Nuzzling his face against the curve between her neck and shoulders and wrapping his arms around her waist, he gratefully absorbed all the love he could feel in her embrace. "I have to give her up. She's going to be his now."

"You're not giving her up."

"Do you consider yourself your father's now, or do you consider yourself mine?"

She delivered a lingering kiss to his cheek and answered, "Point made. I'm yours, but that doesn't mean I don't still feel like Dad's."

"It won't be the same."

She took his face in her hands and kissed him slowly then looked into his eyes. "No. But at least in this case you're actually gaining a son. Honestly, can you imagine JD ever trying to keep Alexis away from you?"

"No," he admitted grudgingly, and went back to his nice, warm comfortable place nuzzling her neck.

"You're pouting over there, aren't you?" she asked with an amused sound of accusation.

"No." He hugged her a little tighter.

"Liar."

As she kissed the edge of his jaw, he could feel her smile.

"Are you finding humor in my suffering?" he asked.

"Maybe a little, Drama King."

"Well, at least you got the gender right this time."

"You know you already love JD. He has a father; but to him, you're what I am to Alexis. And you know you already care about him the way I care about your daughter." Planting another gentle kiss on his neck, she continued. "Think about our family for a minute…the parental relationship baggage and the loss or betrayals or both that most of us have had in our lives. Don't you think it's a little bit of a miracle that all these leftover pieces of families who need each other managed to find our way to your door? I think JD and Alexis belong together…like we do. We're all part of a big family patchwork, and you're the stitching that holds it together. You and that big old heart of yours."

He made sure she could feel his own little smile against her neck. "I'm really glad I married you."

"Me, too. Have you recovered enough that we can snuggle each other to sleep now?"

"Probably," he answered as he planted quick little nibbling kisses on her neck.

She chuckled and promised, "I'll wash those wine glasses in the morning. C'mon." And she pulled away to take his hand and lead him to their room.

When they were in bed, Castle spooned behind her and said, "'Night, Love."

She lifted his hand to her lips, kissed it, and said mischievously, "I love you, Drama King," Then she giggled when he pinched her backside before they settled quietly for the night.

xxxxx

Alexis and JD met with Bradford as planned. They showed him pictures of the beach house from different perspectives, and he asked a lot of questions to give him an idea of their tastes. When he seemed to be closing the session, they thanked him for being willing to take on another quickly planned wedding.

"Nonsense," Bradford answered. "We have the luxury of time for this one…a month and a half instead of just a month." He promised to meet them again the following Tuesday with some sketches and samples to consider.

"It's beginning to feel real," Alexis told JD when the door closed behind Bradford. Dad and Kate's wedding was beautiful, but for a month they were constantly making decisions. It was more like a multiple choice test, though. Bradford brought things, and they had to pick one."

"I thought weddings were supposed to take forever to plan."

Apparently money can buy the speed that comes from Bradford's good taste, organizational skills and patience. He's amazing. Prepare to be impressed."

"Then bless Bradford. All I want is to be married to you. And it's beginning to feel like it's going to happen." JD put his arms around Alexis and gave her a soft, slow kiss.

Castle had intentionally kept Jamie in the study with him while the young couple talked to Bradford. They had met with the event planner at the loft in case they wanted Castle's opinion on something; but he had already given his daughter carte blanche, knowing she was much more sensible about such things than his mother. He really didn't much care what Meredith thought. That argument would be between Meredith and Alexis…daughter's orders.

When he heard the door close, signaling Bradford's departure, he picked Jamie up and went into the living room, and Jamie immediately said "Tiss", rather loudly. As they saw Alexis and JD separate at the sound, Castle commented, "Gotta love little brothers," as he walked toward them.

"Yeah. You're a little mood breaker. That's what you are," JD said, playfully poking Jamie's tummy several times. But the way he said it would undoubtedly have come across to Jamie as, "You're the cutest thing I've ever seen."

His almost little brother laughed and reached for him; and JD took him from Castle, gave him a hug, and wandered around talking to him.

Alexis smiled at her brother and her fiancé and asked Castle, "What is it with those sounds?" He can say 'guck' with a 'k' and 'Daddy' with a 'd', but we still get 'tiss' and 'guck'?"

"Your mother and I have decided not to worry about it. He can make the sounds, so they'll eventually find their way to the right places." Knowing there had been more mention of Meredith lately, he paused and awkwardly said, "I meant Kate."

"I knew that, Dad. My friends have started referring to Kate as my mom, even though they know better, and I don't correct them. Meredith is my mom, and she may not have been your best choice, but you get a gold medal for Kate."

"Yeah, I do," he answered, drifting wistfully for a brief moment. "So how did it go with Bradford?"

"He'll be back next Tuesday with things for us to look at. I think the decision making is about to begin."

Turning to his future son-in-law, he said, "Don't worry, JD. He makes it pretty painless. You'll never know the true extent of the complications and strain of planning a wedding that's mostly meant to impress the guests. You're a lucky man."

Gina wanted a spectacular social event," Alexis explained. "I was only eleven, and even I knew it was a nightmare. It really did go on for months, and she was always changing her mind and complaining about everything. Bradford is very efficient. He doesn't promise anything he can't deliver, and if something goes wrong, you don't hear about it until after he's already arranged to correct it."

"That sounds like my kind of planning," JD answered.

"We were going to that little sub place on the next block for lunch. Do you want to go with us?" Alexis asked her father."

"Sure. Let me take Jamie and clean him up a little bit first." He took his son upstairs and brought him back down in clothes lacking the small spots left from his breakfast. "I might take him to the park for the swings on the way home."

After Alexis took her brother to put him in the stroller and Castle swung a backpack of baby supplies over one shoulder, they left looking forward to some of the best subs in the city.

xxxxx

Later the following week, Castle met Bisaga at the coffee shop. They worked more with the videos he had saved from Kate's maternity leave and one she had sent him recently. He gave Bisaga some of the facts from another case, took out a legal pad, and had him construct a murder board. Then he handed him the books he had chosen, one of them on forensics. "I took some classes and read several books for research. I want my books to be as convincing as possible." Handing him one of the books, he said, "This should help you understand what the MEs are talking about…how time of death is determined, what the marks on the body can tell you… It's a goldmine of information. Why don't you start with that one?" He handed him the other two books, and the younger man looked like he could hardly wait to start reading.

"This is great. And Lieutenant Beckett has been asking for Archer and me more often. I can tell she's training both of us, and I think she's satisfied so far."

"She is. I get reports now and then."

"I'm gonna go home and start reading."

"Next stop is impressing the ME."

"I'll do my best." Bisaga answered with a grin.

Castle gave the younger man's shoulder a light brotherly slap then closed his laptop as Bisaga made his way to the door with the books.

xxxxx

Beckett and Sully were looking at a group of witness reports involving two suspects. In the midst of trying to make sense of the varying versions of what happened at the theater where their most recent victim was murdered, Gates asked to see her.

"If I find anything, you'll be the first to know," Sully promised, looking frustrated.

"No. Take a coffee break or something until I get back. We've been at this too long."

Sully blew out a long, slow breath and pushed away from his desk. "I think I will. Want me to bring some for you?"

"Thanks, but I don't know how long I'll be. I'll get it myself later." She walked into the captain's office, and Gates asked her to close the door.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong, but you may not like it. Remember the experimental program Chief Dawson mentioned to me earlier?" Kate nodded, and the captain continued. "He called several of us in for a meeting yesterday morning to tell us that the program they planned to implement in four precincts has been finalized. They plan to exchange two teams of four from each of those precincts to a different precinct for four months, from September through December, to see if it affects closure rates or general operations. Their decision is to involve teams from homicide and robbery. Your team and Demming's team will go to another precinct, and teams from that one will come here. The same will happen with two other precincts. The idea is basically to embed teams with high closure rates in the precincts where closure rates are low…to provide an example and training is the way we all interpreted it. This will be done with no recourse for choice. If your team is called, you go."

"So our reward for doing our jobs well will be to be thrown into the class with all the slackers, who will undoubtedly hate us on sight because we're obviously the teacher's pet. Sounds like a fun four months," Beckett answered sarcastically, finger pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Two of the…um…lower performing teams will be assigned to the twelfth, if that gives you any satisfaction. They're not likely to be any happier than you are, and I imagine we'll have some rough days before they settle in, too. But once they're here, they will work. The other thing about this arrangement is that you might be able to use your abilities to influence at least the younger staff at the other precinct before they become too jaded to remember why they signed on."

Gates paused and took a different approach. " I expect every member of your team will eventually command a precinct if they want that, and this is a good opportunity to see how another captain operates. You don't know where your first command will be…whether you'll follow a captain who ran a successful precinct or whether you'll have to build it back up from years of neglect or ineffective leadership. You'll all have a firsthand look at the importance of the person in command. So all of you can look at it as a good training opportunity."

"I may have some work to do to convince them of that."

"Try to take this as a compliment from the brass and adjust to the idea. I'll give you details as soon as I have them, and there will undoubtedly be some sort of orientation before any changes are made. And, needless to say, since this hasn't been made public, when you mention it to those who need to know, it should be done with that caveat."

"Yes, Sir. Thanks for the heads up."

Beckett came back to her desk looking like an approaching thunder cloud. She snatched her empty coffee cup from her desk and all but stomped to the break room for coffee.

When she returned, still scowling, Sully asked, "What happened in there?" looking concerned.

"Ryan and Esposito will be back any time now. I'll tell all of you at once. Let's see if we can get a little more done with this mess before then."

After the boys had returned and explanations about September's changes were made, Beckett went into the hallway and called home to ask if Castle and Jamie could meet her for lunch at Remy's.

"What's wrong? Is everybody okay?" Castle asked.

"We're all fine. And nothing is wrong, not really. It's more of those changes I felt coming. It would just help my emotional health if I could have lunch with my two men."

"Then your two men will meet you at Remy's in an hour. We'll have your burger and shake waiting."

"Thanks, Castle. Love you. I'll see you there."

When he saw Beckett close the call and turn back toward them, Sully called out, "I think I may have found something."

She looked and said, "I'm meeting Castle for lunch. Maybe he'd take a look, too. There's a lot here. But yeah. I think you found something. Let's get some background on this witness."

At Remy's, after Kate quietly told Castle about the plans for September, they had an enjoyable lunch with their son.

Ruby slowed down to talk to Jamie almost every time she passed them, and Jamie's natural happy exuberance obviously delighted her. "You two have to have another one. You make the prettiest, sweetest babies," the waitress cooed, making faces at their son to make him smile as she made another sweep past toward the cook.

"I think she likes him," Castle told his wife.

He had already agreed to go back to the precinct with her, and the men on the team welcomed Castle when the couple arrived. Then they settled in the conference room where they could spread out the reports; and Ryan brought the print outs of background information for all the witnesses, something they had decided that morning they would probably need.

Jamie was sleepy; and Beckett held him, rubbing his back and speaking softly as he fell asleep cuddled with his head on her shoulder while they went over the papers she had already practically memorized and the background reports. When Castle paused on one of the background reports, they all stopped to look; then a couple of them remembered other things they had seen, and ideas started flowing back and forth.

"Like old times, Castle," Ryan said.

"Yeah. I enjoyed helping," Castle answered, watching his wife and son. "But right now, I'm okay being a daddy."

Simultaneously, Sully smiled, Ryan said, "I hope I have a chance to do that before long.", and Esposito said, "Sap!" But Esposito said it with a smile because he knew he'd been caught more than once encouraging Jamie to "Come to tio Javi", and he was becoming more of a dad to Gabe every day.

"Looks like you've made a breakthrough now, so hand over the boy, Kate. I'll take him home and tuck him in," Castle told her. He swung the 'Jamie backpack' over one shoulder, and the other men watched the well-practiced baby exchange from one Castle to the other. Kate pressed a soft kiss to Jamie's head, and he snuggled in against his father before Castle left.

xxxxx

Alexis met Martha at the loft, and they took Kate's dress with them, the garment bag carried carefully over Alexis's arms. As they got in the cab that would take them to the seamstress, Alexis asked, "Grams, are you sure this friend of yours can do Kate's dress justice?"

"Absolutely. I didn't tell you about her because I didn't want you to get your hopes up if she didn't have time. She started working with costumes about the same time I started acting, and she was good even then. We had babies about the same time...and under similar conditions, and we traded babysitting when your dad was little. Our career successes ran parallel, too. When I was making some inroads but not as much money as I needed to dress myself for necessary events, we'd shop for fabric where she knew I could afford it, and she'd see that I looked spectacular. I returned her favors any way I could. Once she had really hit her stride and was in demand, she was asked to make the costumes for a movie, a period drama; but they wanted everything to be absolutely authentic, right down to the very uncomfortable looking underwear. It was a Victorian drama, so there were dresses and menswear that she could still find to see how it was constructed; and she loved it, took classes, went to museums, and so on. Now she's one of the go to people when authentic copies are needed, and she's very well respected in that field. If anybody can copy that dress to perfection, it's Gwen Tyler. When I called her, she said less than two months was cutting it close for her schedule, but she wouldn't consider not doing it."

"So it sounds like I'm in good hands…and so is Kate's dress?"

"Absolutely."

When they reached the studio, a small, energetic, gray haired woman about Martha's age came rushing toward them and wrapped Martha in a hug. "Martha! It's been too long."

Martha hugged her back and said, "Yes, it has. Gwen, I'd like you to meet my beautiful granddaughter, Alexis. Alexis, this is Gwen Tyler."

"Oh, my. I met you when you were in pre-school, and you were adorable; but look at you. You're all grown up and just lovely. And oh, that gorgeous red hair. You're going to be a beautiful bride."

"Thank you," Alexis answered with a little blush at the effusive compliments.

"Well, come with me. Let's see this dress I've heard so much about." Gwen took the garment bag from Alexis, who seemed reluctant to give it up, and placed it on a long table in her work area. "You seem very protective of this dress. It must be special."

Alexis relaxed a little then. "I've tried it on, and I liked the way it looked, but everything is at least a little bit too long." Then she explained that it belonged to her stepmother's mother, and explained to Gwen the same thoughts about the dress and its line of descent that she had given Kate.

Gwen looked at Martha and said, "Beautiful inside and out, isn't she?"

"That she is, Gwen. Kate gave her blessings for Alexis to have it altered, but she won't do it."

When Gwen carefully unzipped the bag, there was a quiet "Oh" of admiration. "It's a wonderful dress…and in beautiful condition, and the fabric… I'll find just the right fabric so it even feels the same when you wear it. And I promise you, I'll be careful. Kate will get her dress back in the same perfect condition as you brought it. Now let's get your measurements so I can make you a stunning wedding dress."

xxxxx

When Kate got home that night, she was exhausted, but between Castle, and her team, they had enough information to take the investigation in a productive direction.

After their customary greetings and time with their son, they talked as they prepared dinner.

"So in September you'll be working in another precinct for a while. You gave me the basics at lunch. What are the details, and why does it worry you?" Castle asked.

She sighed as she slid the chicken into the oven and closed the door. "I don't know, Rick. Worry isn't exactly the right word. I know I can do my job there, too, and the boys will be with me at least that long…probably until sometime the middle or end of next year. And there aren't that many openings for captains; so, even if I pass the exam…"

"And everybody knows you will."

"Whatever. It could still be a good while before I have my own command. It only adds me to the list."

"I seem to remember that Gates told you Chief Dawson has been impressed with you. Couldn't that influence your placement? Assignments are at the discretion of the chief and the commission, aren't they? The list of candidates will always be longer than the list of openings. What's your real concern?"

"The boys have more chances at openings for sergeants. That would mean they're likely to be moved to other precincts. Our team has an outstanding closure record, so I can't imagine a precinct that wouldn't be glad to have either of them. I'm already working without you most of the time, and I guess I feel like even my new normal flow of things is about to slip away. And aside from that, I'll be spending four months of whatever time we have left together without the other people at the twelfth. They've been my work family for years." She sighed and stepped into his waiting arms. "Life isn't meant to be stagnant. I know that. I just feel like my normal is gradually moving on…and before long I'll have to step out into the unknown. It's kind of scary."

"And Alexis is getting married. Normal around here is slipping away, too…at least in my mind."

"I know that's scary for you, too, but I'm happy for them…for the boys, too. I know they'll do well. We can still manage to hold on to all of them, though, right? We might not see them quite as often, but we won't lose touch with any of them?"

"No, we won't. We'll make that a priority."

"I want Jamie to grow up surrounded by that many good people."

They stood watching their son as he played on the floor, zeroing in on his baby priorities with his toys and explorations; and Castle agreed, "So do I."